Md. Road Crews Prepare As Stormy Winter Brings Overnight Ice Concerns
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—It's been a stormy winter in Maryland. This time Mother Nature may just throw some ice our way overnight.
Meghan McCorkell has more on the efforts to prepare.
Just when we'd had enough of the snow, another danger is coming our way.
"Black ice is what scares me. I've crashed before on black ice and it's very scary," said driver Jay Mills.
City plows are lined up and ready to go. Crews will work overnight to treat the roads as the freezing rain falls.
"Our biggest concern is basically ice. Ice is so much worse than snow," said Adrienne Barnes, Baltimore Department of Transportation.
And we've had a lot of both this winter.
City officials say they've already used more than 60,000 pounds of salt this season alone. It's the same story for the State Highway Administration. They've already tripled last year's salt usage, spreading 288,000 tons this winter-- $70 million.
"We've had 20-plus activations so far this season. Our crews have, of course, been plowing though," said Kellie Boulware, State Highway Administration.
Now they're gearing up for a serious fight. Plow drivers say battling ice is like fighting a constant battle.
"It tends to be a lot more difficult to deal with because it freezes, we go out there and treat it, it melts. It's so cold it freezes right back up again," said SHA plow driver Tim Reed.
The promise of slippery streets has drivers planning ahead.
"Tonight's originally my night off but they wanted me to come in and I just bought a new car so I told them there's no way," said Mills.
And praying for spring.
"It will be over soon," said one driver.
BGE says they are also mobilizing for potential power outages.
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